EtsyKids Design Challenge: It's time to Vote!

It's time to vote for your favorite item! Voting will be open until December 27th. This month, EtsyKids members were challenged to create an exciting new item based on a theme "Under the Etsy Tree ". We received a lot of fantastic entries, please vote for your favorite from the list below.

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Meet Etsy Seller CwtchBugs

Today we would like to introduce you to Laura and Kim

and their Etsy shop CwtchBugs

CwtchBugs has been selling on Etsy since May 2011, they sell a beautiful range of handmade items bursting with cuteness for the modern baby. From organic bamboo bandana bibs, organic jersey accessories, natural teethers, newborn photo props and cuddly comforters. Today they are sharing a little about their shop and selling handmade items.

Minky Baby Comforter/Lo... CwtchBugs £7.50

Natural Wooden Teethin... CwtchBugs £8.00

Organic - 'Robot Factor... CwtchBugs £7.00

Minky Baby Comforter / S... CwtchBugs £7.50

What motivated you to start your shop? 
I started making bandana bibs and blankets when our friends started having babies as I wanted to give a gift that was different to what was available on the high-street & thought a handmade gift was so much more personal. When the gifts were well received a friend told me about Etsy and it sounded great so I opened a shop in May 2011. I think I just fell in love with the idea of handmade items being lovingly made and people choosing our products to give as gifts at a very special time in someone's life.

What is the story behind your shop name?
I really wanted to have the word 'cwtch' in our name  as i wanted it to represent where we make our products and  it's a word I use on a daily basis!  I love the word as it means an affectionate hug or cuddle and that's what I wanted my products to be, a security for babies. As for why I chose bugs to go with it I'm not sure, I think it was the thought of it translating to hug bugs!

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
What's surprised me the most has to be how I fall in love with sewing more every day! There is always so much to learn and I'm always trying out new stitches and new designs! I love coming up with new patterns and learning new techniques! It still doesn't feel like anything other than a hobby to me and I'm sure that will never change!

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
We work hard to ensure every product made and sent out is completed to a very high standard and made with love.  We want our products to be loved, to last & be used time and time again!
We love organic materials and use 100% cotton on nearly all of our products and like the thought of our products sending out a Cwtch to all that receive them. :)

How would someone (other then you) describe you?
A dreamer someone who doesn't really live in this world! I always try for the Unachievable and never have a back up plan! I think they would also say I talk too much!

What do you do when you aren't working?
When I'm not working I'm drinking lots of Starbucks, catching up with friends, walking my puppy and spending time with my handsome husband! I also try and keep fit but my gym membership keeps gathering dust! :)

Natural Wooden Teethin... CwtchBugs £8.00

CHOOSE Any 3 ORGANI ... CwtchBugs £22.50

Baby Swaddling Blanket -... CwtchBugs £25.00

Hand Crocheted Newborn... CwtchBugs £12.50

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Get your party dress on!

Christmas time is a time of parties and celebrations! Dressing all nice and enjoying fun and games with family and friends!!
Our team members make and sell some beautiful creations and here are some of my favourite to dress up in this Holiday season!

Toddler girl's ruff... KriksisLV $55.00	Girls Dress Eiffle Tow... GirliePearlie3 $39.99	Linen girl dress - Rust... lefthandedcraf... $45.99	vintage style floral EM... ShereesAtelier $50.00
Kimono DRESS for Girls ... pinkmouse $44.00	As seen in Babiekins Ma... mysweetsunshin... $55.00	Girls Peasant Dress in ... BoutiqueElliEt... $32.00	Ruffled Neck Party Dres... thomaspark $45.00
Upcycled Children's... KingSoleil $78.00	Flower Girl, Birthday, ... sultrysplendor $45.00	Girls Hawaiian Dress Hu... HotLavaClothin... $38.00	Blue and Green Floral G... SweetChildofMi... $19.99
Girls Red Russian Doll ... wildthingsdres... $58.00	Children Clothing, Girl... PlayPrettyWear... $72.00	Classic Beauty Black an... AliBeanBaby $26.00	An Alpine Christmas Kno... ChewChewsClos... $49.00

And lets not forget the boys! With their snazzy ties, and jackets!!

School style - Knitted roy... KriksisLV $30.00	William . Bow Tie . Grey, ... ShanaCraneDesi... $12.00	Boys Handmade Hawaiia... HotLavaClothin... $34.00	Little Boys Vest, Rock Star pinkmouse $26.00
Baby boy bow tie red, w... allthingsforba... $15.00	Dark blue elephant waist... OliveAndVince $26.00	Mezzanine Appliqued Tie... ThePolkaDotTot... $15.00	Dr. Watson Vest and Bo... yellowbluebag $27.95

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Meet Etsy Seller LilBDesigns

Today we would like to introduce you to Rachel

and her Etsy shop LilBDesigns

LilBDesigns has been selling on Etsy since October 2006, she sells a beautiful range of handmade crayon wallets, chalk mats, art folios and more!! Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.

LilBDesigns $18.00

LilBDesigns $12.00

LilBDesigns $11.00

LilBDesigns $9.50

What motivated you to start your shop? 
A big family move prompted a career shift for me. My daughter Lillian was a toddler at the time and opening a shop on Etsy enabled me to be home with her and still contribute to our household finances. I loved the challenge of taking my sewing skills, combining them with my prior marketing and communications background, and crafting a home-based handmade business!

What is the story behind your shop name?
My beautiful 8 1/2 year old daughter Lillian inspired my shop name. It's a take on her name. About a year ago, she had this "ah-ha" moment realizing my shop name is derived from her name. Since then, she has certainly had a more vested (and vocal!) role with my design choices -- and she has become quite the marketer with her classmates and teachers, very cute!

What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
Lots has surprised me! But, the happiest of surprises are my international customers. A large percentage of my sales are to amazing customers outside of the U.S. I keep saying I should have a map with push pins showing the various corners of globe where my products have travelled  My daughter's first question when I tell her about a new order is, "Where's it from?" My sales have been a really good lessons in geography for my 3rd grader!

What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
Keeping up! When I opened my Etsy shop in 2006, the Children's section had a mere 10,000 listings, which I thought was a lot at the time - silly me! Now it's in the hundreds of thousands, making it a daily quest to keep my items fresh - and found - by Etsy shoppers. Keeping up with Etsy's evolution with SEO, tagging, titles, and so forth has made nothing about being an Etsy seller a "cookie cutter" process. It definitely keeps me on my toes between balancing the necessary sewing time and computer time.

What's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?
I'm a bit of an anti-technology mom, who prefers unplugged fun activities over electronic toys. Between all of the gadgets and gizmos it seems like every toy on the mass market requires a battery to operate. Encourage children with crayons or chalk to spark their creative imaginations...and let them soar.

How would someone (other then you) describe you?
Positive, funny, determined.

What do you do when you aren't working?
Time away from the sewing machine is time with my daughter - whether it's homework, Brownies, choir, building Lego cities, painting, American Girl tea parties, and now she's really into learning how to cook -- omelets are the latest! I also love DIY home projects - giving new life to old furniture, re-purposing household items, and painting. My home is definitely a never-ending work in progress, many thanks to Pinterest!

LilBDesigns is offering a a whooping 25% discount for our blog reader  To use the coupon, visit her etsy store and enter code 'ETSYKIDS25' at checkout. The voucher is valid undtil the end of December 2012.

LilBDesigns $11.00

LilBDesigns $9.50

LilBDesigns $18.00

LilBDesigns $12.00

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...And to top it all off...

Winter is most certainly here where I live, with snow fall for the last two weeks, it is getting nippy outside and you need to wrap up warm!
So when I came across this treasury created by team member myminimocs, I thought it had some great items to share for those needing some new winter warmers for the kids this Christmas.

CUSTOM holiday or wint... ThreeCsCustomD... $18.99	Flapper Hat - Silver Cl... UrbanBabyKnits $24.00	Grinch Christmas Headb... thebitsybeau $22.95	Mustache Onesie Bodys... zoegirldesigns $12.50
Beanie - newborn - 6-12... ZooKiecrafts $8.00	baby / children's p... WhatILOVEtoday $5.00	Children's Red Whit... tagyouritbykar... $16.00	Red Silk Flower Hat SweetPriBow $35.00
Apple Hat, Red Knit wit... ThatsTheCutest... $22.00	Children's Flapper ... Vanillaknitsan... $24.80	Knit Fabric Headband &... TheSewingLoft $5.00	Darling Dots Coat, Hat ... MaisieandMoe $125.00
Pixie Hat for Baby Boy ... WeThreeBees $22.00	Girls Owl Hat ...Pink &... TheTrendyTotSh... $20.00	Wee Wool Bomber Hat fo... weestitchery $38.00	Crochet Baby Snowflak ... SimplySoftBaby... $15.00

Visit Treasury Here.

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