This week we launched our latest edition of our EtsyKids Team shopping guide! Featuring all new products, from A to Z, for babies, toddlers, kids and teens!
Pirate Activity Day
Posted Thursday, October 03, 2013
Here in Australia it is Spring school holidays and I have been on a mission to get the kids outdoors and active. One of the fun days we had was a Pirate Activity Day. The following pirate activities are perfect for a pirate themed party as well. You could even adapt them for inside.
Dress like a pirate with a pirates hat and eye patch, cut off a pair of old denim jeans to make pirate shorts, wear a bandana, make a belt with an old scarf and a buckle made from aluminium foil. Get the kids involved making their own sword from cardboard or empty paper towel rolls.
Ship. Now that the kids are suitably attired it is time to head outdoor and find your pirate ship. A little bit of imagination is required here. Use a cubby or a deck or play equipment. My son likes to pretend our raised wooden day bed is his pirate ship. Grab a broomstick for a paddle and an old sheet for a sail and your ship will be ready to sail the seven seas.
Pirate Games. Make a pirate obstacle course and walk the plank by sliding down a slide, jump through hoops and pretend they are the ships port holes, grab a bucket of water and a mop and get them mopping the decks (give them water and the kids will be entertained for ages).
Treasure hunt - hide some gold toy coins around the yard or in a sandpit for the kids to find.
L-R Friendly Skull Mask, Pirate Doll, Dribble Bib, Sailboat Box and Skull Flask, Pirate Activity Set, Pirate Cake Toppers, Skull Headband.
Guest blog post by Mel
Mel's Etsy shop Creative Wishes, handmade Toys For Creative Play.
Mel Blogs at Melinda's Creative Wishes.
Dress like a pirate with a pirates hat and eye patch, cut off a pair of old denim jeans to make pirate shorts, wear a bandana, make a belt with an old scarf and a buckle made from aluminium foil. Get the kids involved making their own sword from cardboard or empty paper towel rolls.
Ship. Now that the kids are suitably attired it is time to head outdoor and find your pirate ship. A little bit of imagination is required here. Use a cubby or a deck or play equipment. My son likes to pretend our raised wooden day bed is his pirate ship. Grab a broomstick for a paddle and an old sheet for a sail and your ship will be ready to sail the seven seas.
Pirate Games. Make a pirate obstacle course and walk the plank by sliding down a slide, jump through hoops and pretend they are the ships port holes, grab a bucket of water and a mop and get them mopping the decks (give them water and the kids will be entertained for ages).
Treasure hunt - hide some gold toy coins around the yard or in a sandpit for the kids to find.
Play the Pirate Game. When you shout out Ahoy Mateys! the kids run around, when you shout out scurvy they lie down, shout land ahoy and they run to the front, shark attack they run back to the safety of their pirate ship, scrub the deck and the kids pretend to do so.
Pirate Craft. Make spy glasses with a cardboard tube some sticky tape and paper. Get the kids busy designing their own treasure map. Give them some glue and some old magazines and let them create.
Pirate Food. Time to get creative again, cut their sandwiches into a circle and make a face on the bread, green lettuce hair, round cheese eyes, vegemite eye patch and moustache and red capsicum mouth.
Make blue(water) jelly and pop an orange slice on top to look like a boat. Eat outside in their pirate ship.
Etsy Kids Team Pirate Treasures
L-R Friendly Skull Mask, Pirate Doll, Dribble Bib, Sailboat Box and Skull Flask, Pirate Activity Set, Pirate Cake Toppers, Skull Headband.
Guest blog post by Mel
Mel's Etsy shop Creative Wishes, handmade Toys For Creative Play.
Mel Blogs at Melinda's Creative Wishes.
Meet Etsy Seller Whimsy Wendy
Posted Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Today we would like to introduce you to
Etsy shop Whimsy Wendy
Whimsy Wendy has been selling on Etsy since March 2007, she sell party decor, room decor, tutus and dress up products, made to last...her quality is in her stitching. Today she is sharing a little about her shop and selling handmade items.
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What motivated you to start your shop?
After having children, I had this incredible creative itch I just couldn't scratch. I waiting until both my girls headed off to all-day school, then began fooling around on the sewing machine. A good friend had read an article about Etsy and urged me to start up a shop. That was 2007.
What is the story behind your shop name?
My husband and I were trying to come up with a 'sticky' name and I kept putting "Wendy" first. He suggested turning it around. It's a tongue twister but its stuck.
What surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?
When I first got started I think I was so surprised that people from around the country and the world wanted to buy things that I made with my hands. It's humbling and gratifying at the same time.
What is your favourite creations from your shop?
I think my most favorite creations I make are my tulle puffs. They're perfect for parties or room decor. They are an easy 'pop' of color and can be made in any color combination you can think of. They were originally created out of my leftover tutu yardage and have been hugely popular. They were even highlighted in Brides Magazine last Spring.
What do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?
The most challenging thing about being a Etsy seller has ben that for the rare occasion I have had to shut down my shop, it's taken a lot longer to get my 'mo jo' going again. There is something of a rhythm or pattern to listing and sales and when you shut down your store for a period of time, it takes a lot more effort to start the wheel turning again.
How would someone (other then you) describe you?
I think most of my friends and family would describe me as positive, fun, creative and energetic. I love good energy and always try to surround myself with good people, beautiful colors and pretty things. It really helps to feed my soul.
What do you do when you aren't working?
When I'm not working, I'm 'parenting' my two teenaged girls. They are great kids and have probably taught me more about myself than I've taught them. My husband and I also love to travel. We're saving up for our next (cross your fingers) trip to Italy.
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Activities for Preschoolers this Fall
Posted Tuesday, October 01, 2013
If your three year old is like mine, and thinks summer will
never end, you too are trying to get outdoors as much as possible this tail end
of summer and appreciate the fresh air before winter. When you live in the Midwest,
winter can stretch on and beyond 4, 5, 6 months. We stock up on our vitamin D
and sunlight while we can!
On days your child isn’t at preschool, or if he stays home all day, a few new games and activities in your tool box will be fun! Most
children this age are very interested in learning through all their senses:
touch, taste, smell, feel, and sound. The world is their classroom and it’s our
job as parents to help them find ways to creatively learn.
Yarn Braiding
This little activity takes only a few materials and yields
lots of fun.
Materials: 2-4 skeins
of a chunky yarn, a roll of sturdy tape like packaging tape, a table with
chairs
Cut three long (12-14 inches) pieces of yarn, knot them all
together. Leave a long tail after the knot where you can tape it down to a edge
of a table. Pull up a few chairs and teach your child how to braid. Knot off
the end, and hang it on your porch as a festive fall decoration. If braiding is
difficult, teach sliding knots.
Leaf Book
This hands-on experience offers hunting, research, patience,
and all sorts of other life lessons.
Materials: a dozen or
more leaves from your neighborhood, wax paper, a thick book, a notebook, tape
or glue
Collect leafs of different shapes, colors, and sizes on your
walk about. Press the leaves between two pieces of wax in a large book like the
dictionary. After one week, retrieve the leaves and paste or tape into a
notebook. Research the leaves and write their names down under each leaf. If
your child takes to it, write down more facts about the trees, the bark, the
shapes of the branches. Build on this notebook over time and your child will
have a beautiful leaf book!
Be sure to bring something to carry those leaves in, perhaps
a wooden dump truck like this one offered by KPTCO?
Painted Cards
A note for any occasion comes better from your artist child.
Cut these and keep them in a place you can easily grab them for birthdays,
thank yous, and holidays.
Materials: paint of
your choice (finger, brush, watercolor), a large roll of paper, tape, scissors,
a blank permanent marker
Roll out a large scroll of paper onto the ground and tape
around the outer edge such that your child can easily paint without the paper
moving. Encourage them to cover the whole paper with color, shapes, and
movement. Get their hands and feet into it, too! Experience paint with their
whole bodies! After it dries, cut heart shaped cards that fold open out of the
paper, and voila! Greeting cards for every occasion. Have your child write, or
you help them write, their name on the front. Instant mailable art.
After you’re done with your painting, work on your child’s
scissor skills with this wonderful Montessori Preschooler Paper from Liveable
Learning here.
Spice Book
Use the child’s sense of smell and even taste with this next
activity. Start opening their taste buds early!
Materials: 6-12
different dried spices from your pantry, small dishes to accompany the number,
lined notebook, glue, pen or pencil
Present your child with an array of dried spices in small
dishes, encouraging them to smell and taste as they desire. Don’t tell them
what they are, but ask for guesses. Have them select which ones they want to
adhere to their spice book. Dedicate a page to each spice, drop a generous
dollop of glue on the page and press the spice into it, allowing it to dry
thoroughly. Write down adjectives the child selects for the spice, and then
talk about which food it goes well with. Consult the spice book next time your
little one is helping you cook!
Enjoy these last days
of summer and encourage your child to learn with all their senses—it will be
joyful for both of you!
September Design Challenge Winner!
Posted Monday, September 30, 2013
September's Design Challenge had the theme "Football Fever".
We had lots of lovely entries from our team member but the winning entry with the most votes was...
We had lots of lovely entries from our team member but the winning entry with the most votes was...
Is your little one ready for the big game? This adorable football hat will melt any football fan's heart. If needed for a girl just specify in "notes to seller" box at check out if you would like the laces and stripes done in pink.
~ TupeloHoneys
Here are some more lovely items from TupeloHoneys!
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