National Sewing Month:: Handmade Quilts

September is National Sewing Month, and with sewing being a favorite medium of EtsyKids Team Members, we want to share a special month long series sponsored by EtsyKids Team Member, Heather of theSewingLoft.  Throughout the month, talented sewers -  quilters, garment makers, fiber artists and crafter's will be stopping by theSewingLoft blog and sharing their favorite sewing tool.  So far,  Amy of The Quilt Alliance, Becky of PatchworkPosses and Janelle of TrashN2Tees have shared their favorite tools along with amazing projects to help us practice using their favorite tool and get a good feel for why they use it all the time.

The EtsyKids Team is filled with hundreds of talented artists and crafters, many of whom are sewers.  We hope to inspire you with their creative talent this month as we periodically showcase the beauty, versatility and quality of the sewn products our members have to offer.  We also hope Heather's special series for National Sewing Month, will inspire you to sew ... for the first time, on a new or forgotten project, or branch out and try something completely new in the world of sewing.

Modern Quilt in Gray and White Flying Geese Pattern by theEarlyGirl

Chocolate, Blue, Beige Log Cabin Quilt, Full Size, Machine Quilted by Ahmelie

Doll Patchwork Quilt and Pillow by snowflakeboutique

Bunting Quilt by Sweetiebugs

Super Size Modern Baby Playmat by PeppermintPinwheels

Modern Baby Quilt by AudraRoseDesigns

Tweet

Established

Important Dates Print, Key Deign in brown and tan (5x7) by YassisPlace

Personalized Canvas Family Sign by BronStarOriginals 

Embroidery Hoop Art, Custom Family Established  Personalized Sign by KingSoleil

Tweet

Special Occasion Chic

Special Occasion Flower Crown for Little Girls by AmandasAngels

Little boys formal yellow/green waistcoat by OliveandVince

Monogrammed necklace for flower girl or bridesmaids by pickledbeads

Little Guys BowTie, newborn-2T by myLittleTrendsetters

Monogrammed Dress, beading with ribbon sleeves by fabricfunetc

Wedding tuxedo baby's bib by ABabyNotion

Tweet

Finding the Perfect Sibling Outfits

From Salinda of PersonalilTy, Southern Children's Clothing



Why do Moms love to dress their children alike? Who knows, but obviously, this is not a new phenomenon. My Momma dressed us alike on occasion, and yours probably did too. 

With the summer here, many families are planning sibling outfits for vacations, family reunions, weddings and of course, planning the annual holiday card photo.

SweetThreadsClothing

Shopping for girls is easy.  Shopping for boys, can be easy -  if you know where to look!  Mixed gender can be tricky, but finding a shop and seamstress that does custom work helps immensely!

Custom Monogrammed Jon Jon or Jumper from PersonaliTychildren

Preppy Alligator Shirts from SweetThreadsClothing
Lotus Wallflower Skirt and Peasant Dress from rubyandviola
Brother Sister Set, Peasant Dress and Tie Tee from CorinneCitrolo

But, what do you do when your children range from newborn to 12???

PersonaliTyChildren

Here’s an idea. Work for coordinating outfits instead. Put the baby in a seersucker jumper. Match big brother’s shirt to the jumper applique and add a seersucker touch. Finish off the set with a seersucker flower headband for big sister to wear with a white shirt and khaki shorts.

Another idea: Put the baby in a fun print. Find big brother a polo one of the colors from the baby’s dress. Big sister can add color with a bright scarf over her favorite white tee.

Etsy is an excellent source for coordinating accessories. Here are few of my favorites from EtsyKids Team members:

Treasury tool supported by website testing

Work with your seamstress to develop the perfect color scheme for your growing family’s portraits to create a unique and totally personalized look the whole family will be happy with.

PersonaliTy Southern Children's Clothing can be found on Facebook, Twitter, her Blog, and of course on Etsy at her shop:

Tweet

Happy Father's Day

Daddy's use to be little once too!  Here are some fun finds for the future daddy's in your life.

Balloon Buddy (fabric balloon cover) by kidsloveletters

Dinosaur T-Rex T-shirt by Westmama

Fire Truck Personalized Wall Art by babychickdesigns

Custom Boys Knight Costume by VintageDuck

Boutique Burp Cloth set of 3 by MomNMiaQuilts

Toddler Boy Bow Ties by kdpdesigns

Tweet

Where the Wild Things Are

In honor of beloved children's book author, Maurice Sendak, who passed away yesterday at the age of 83, we pay tribute with a selection of items that remind us of one of his most beloved stories ... 'Where the Wild Things Are.'

Lion Cupcake Toppers, set of 12 from YourlittleCupcake

Galloping Horses Kids Youth T-shirt from BigBridgeStudio

Hand Knit Sunset Monster Stuffed Animal from EmilysIsland

Handmade Bear Ears - Blonde Fur Band from ClareBear

Child Robes Zoo Animals from tanjadlyn

Reversible Car Seat Canopy from notybaby

Tweet

Be Good to the Earth with Cloth Diapers

woodland forest eco diaper, all organic from reborne

Fitted Cloth Diaper, OS Cotton Twill, Blue Owls from greenchildcreations

Firetrucks, newborn cloth diaper from bbybugboutique

TuttiHooty fuchsia cotton velour hybrid fitted diaper from mamamade

Tweet

5 Harmful Effects Of Disposable Diapers And Training Pants

From Anthony and Steph of SuperSkivvies. 

Because our company is an eco-friendly and sustainable company we feel that it is necessary to help people make an educated decision when it comes to choosing which products to use for their children. This is for the benefit of you and your child, as well as the environment.

It still amazes us how many people out there give no thought or regard to how the products they use are destroying the very Earth we all call home, even after being educated and shown the truth about harmful products. Unfortunately, a lot of people want to sweep these problems under the rug and forget about them. However, I think we can all agree that we need Earth in order to survive and give future generations the basic necessities of clean air, clean water, and healthy food. Simple right?

Take a look at some of the information we found about disposable diapers and training pants:

1. 18 billion disposable diapers end up in landfills every year in the U.S. alone, adding 5 million tons of untreated human waste to the soil. And did you know that it is illegal to put human fecal matter in your household garbage? The American Public Health Association and American Academy of Pediatrics have advised parents that “fecal material and urine should not be allowed to be co-mingled and disposed of as regular trash. This contaminates ground water and spreads disease.” Yes, you must remove all of the fecal matter from disposables before you throw them out. (Click here for information on disposing of disposable diapers)
2. Sodium polyacrylate is a chemical that makes disposable diapers so absorbent that it can absorb up to 100 times its weight in water. However, it can stick to children’s genitals and cause allergic reactions. In the U.S., this chemical was removed from tampons in 1985 when it was linked to toxic shock syndrome. And when this chemical was tested and injected into rats, it caused hemorrhaging, cardiovascular failure, and ultimately death.
3. 500 years! This is how long it can take each disposable diaper and training pant to decompose in a landfill. That means that every disposable diaper and training pant ever used in the world is still decomposing in a landfill somewhere. And almost 30 percent of each disposable diaper and training pant consists of non biodegradable products such as absorbent vinyl layers, Velcro, absorbent gelling material, and plastic packaging that will never break down.
4. Dioxin is a by product of the paper bleaching process used in the manufacturing of disposable diapers and training pants. It is the most toxic of all the cancer causing chemicals and causes birth defects as well as liver disease in laboratory animals.
5. As many as 100 viruses can survive in soiled disposable diapers or training pants for months. This includes the live polio virus and hepatitis excreted by recently vaccinated babies. These viruses constitute a potential hazard to sanitation workers and garbage handlers. No to mention the critters that will crawl into the landfill to find a meal and the birds that will pick through this garbage and fly to who knows where.

This is obviously not an exhaustive list of harmful effects. Ultimately, the choice is yours.

Later this week, in honor of Earth Day, we'll showcase some of the amazing fitted cloth diaper options available from EtsyKids shops.

SuperSkivvies can be found online at their blog, facebook, twitter and of course on Etsy:

Tweet

Twirling Umbrellas

Hand Stitched Appliqued Onesie - Customized Umbrella from eleanorestreasures

Baby / Toddler Sweetheart Sun Hat from nanabrowns

Key Chain Wristlet, Beach Umbrella from brooksboutique

Blue Umbrella embroidered baby bib from MorningTempest

Beach Babes, Folk Art Signed Matted Digital Print from RisingStarArt

Tweet

Tutorial:: DIY Diaper Wipes

From Emily of BusyChickadees and Raising Busy Chickadees. 

I started making my own disposable diaper wipes a few years ago. I love them! They are more natural and cheaper than the store-bought version.

Now, I use cloth diapers, so I use cloth wipes, but I wanted to share how to do this with my disposable diaper friends. I am going to use mine as eye make-up disposable wipes. You will be amazed at how easy it
is to do. Are you ready?

Homemade Disposable Diaper Wipes
Ingredients:
Bounty Paper Towels (select-a-size)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons baby wash (natural if possible)
2 tablespoons oil (canola oil, olive oil, and coconut oil work)
container
tea tree oil (optional).

Step 1 
Cut the rolls of paper towels in half with a serrated knife.

Step 2
Pour water into container. Add baby wash and oil. Stir.

Step 3 
Add 2 drops of tea tree oil (used to prevent mold) optional.

Step 4
Drop the half a roll of paper towel into the water. Wait until water has soaked into the paper towels and remove the center cardboard tube.

Step 5
Pull wipes up from the center.

**A note of caution. **If you seal the lid on tightly, you are almost guaranteed for your wipes to mold at some point. I just leave the lid cracked open and have not had a problem with that. How about you, have you used your own wipes before?


Find Emily online at Facebook and Twitter, by visiting her blog - Raising Busy Chickadees and her Etsy Shop - Busy Chickadees:

Tweet

St. Patty's Picks

Happy St. Patrick's Day from all of us a the EtsyKids Team!

Baby Boy, Diaper Cover Onesie Set, with Green Frog from RaeGun

AHOY Matey, Boys Green Pirate Shirt from SweetThreadsClothing

Needle Felted Green Apple with Happy Worm from ThingsByV

Elephant Plush Toy from LittleSidekick

Words of Inspiration 11x14 Typography Poster from AsYouWishPrinting

Double Minky Baby Lovey from notybaby

Tweet

A Pinch of Green

Baby Swaddle Blanket in Chartreuse by LeytonSmiles

Green & White Stripe Leg Warmers by PoppinDotsBoutique

St. Patrick's Day Child's Reversible Headband by ThELaUgHyGiRaFfY

Boutique Boys Sham ROCK Appliqued Tee by christinamcdaniel

Shamrock Initial Baby Dots Onesie or T-shirt by thenook

St. Patrick's Day Green Crocheted Sheep by LoopySheep

Tweet

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

On The Go Diaper Pouch from Loubugsboutique

Cat in the Hat Boutique Hair Bow from Avabowtiquee

Dr Seuss Knot Dress Thing One and Thing Two from GROOVYGURLZ

Cat with a funny hat Personalized Invitation or Thank You Cards Printable from PinkPickleStudio

Whimsical Cat in the Hat Hair Clip from CravingCuteness

Cloth Diaper Cover - one size from Zookies

Tweet

Football fans come in all shapes and sizes

All-in-Two One-Size Cloth Diaper by mamamade

Boys Hooded Towel by inkydinkdesigns

Football Curtain Holdbacks by LittleElephantCo

Ribbon Ruffle Socks - any team colors by KPCreations

I ♥ Football Comfy Pants by babeagogo

Cheer School Spirit Bow by fortheloveofzebra

Tweet

10 Reasons You Should Buy Handmade this Holiday

Article submitted by StoryBuilderToys

With the holiday shopping season fast approaching (most retailers already have their Christmas items on the shelves) it’s time to start planning your holiday shopping lists. This year why not be adventurous and try buying some handmade products for the ones you love? Why should you buy handmade instead of the usual store bought products you’re used to, well I’m glad you asked. Here are ten reasons why you should shop handmade for the holidays.

Floppy Bunny by StoryBuilderToys

1. Be original. Handmade products are usually one of a kind or produced in small batches so you don’t have to worry about gifting something the person already has or giving the same gift as someone else. Instead you’ll be able to find something just as unique as the person you’re shopping for and nothing brings a smile to someone’s face better than knowing you really cared enough to find them the perfect gift.
2. Support people, not companies. By giving your business to local artists and crafters you’re helping build a better economy without lining the pockets of overpriced corporations who’s only interest is the bottom line. People care about each other, companies care about themselves and getting as much of your hard earned money as possible. A crafter will appreciate your business while a corporation demands it. The choice seems pretty clear.
   

   

   35" Play Silk by TheEnchantedCupboard
   

3. It’s more environmentally friendly. Handmade items are usually made from natural raw materials with much less waste and machine emissions than mass produced items. If your goal is to leave a smaller carbon footprint on the planet that you can’t go wrong with locally produced handmade items.
4. Build a personal connection with the person making your items. Craftspeople love what they do and not only does it show in their work, but also in their attention to customer service. Have a question about how something is made or what inspired it? Ask away and the crafter will be thrilled to tell you all about it. Handmade items have a story and a history that mass produced products will never have.

   

   Magnetic Story Board from sosimplesosweet
   

5. Avoid shopping at the mall. Holiday shopping can be pretty crazy and sometimes even dangerous as the days tick by. Why not save yourself the trouble of finding a parking space and braving the overcrowded big box stores by shopping local boutiques, craft fairs or even online handmade outlets like Etsy. Finding the perfect gift for a loved one should be fun, not frantic.
6. Get it customized. Since the items are made by real people you can often ask for little extras like customization or even fully commissioned work to your exact specifications rather than having to settle for whatever the store has in stock.
   

   

   Wooden Yo-Yo by AmandasAngels

7. Handmade products are made with passion. Crafters pour their time, talent and passion into everything they make. Store bought items might all be the same size and specifications, but they will never have the heart or soul that a good handmade product is made with.
8. Quality counts. Because even the raw materials are individually selected by hand more effort is put into the quality of each individual piece. Crafters want each and every product they make to be of the very best quality as a testament to their work They don’t take mass produced shortcuts or shortchange the customer by using lower quality materials, just the best material carefully crafted into the best possible product.
   

   

   Matching Game by applenamos

9. More unique choices. An individual making a handfull of something is able to be more adventurous than a corporation which must sell ‘x’ amount of a product to be able to turn a profit. This means that handmade products can afford to be more unique and creative than store bought products.
10. More value for your money. Handmade items are made to last. While mass produced items must be made quickly for as little money as possible handmade products are made from only the best materials and techniques. Corporations don’t mind if their products break down over time, then you’ll just have to buy another one. A well cared for handmade product on the other hand can last generations. Perhaps that is the reason people are still crafting by hand today even with all the advancements in technology trying to render them obsolete.

Toy Lamb/Sheep by woolies

Bonus Point! Know where your gifts come from. There is something empowering about taking control and making something yourself, or at least supporting someone who does. It’s making a conscious decision to spend your money on a quality item instead of a mass produced product built by machines and underpaid workers in a distant country. Show support to your local economy and buy from artists and crafters in your area this holiday season.

Are you going to buy any handmade products this year? Share your handmade gift ideas in the comments section.

Find StoryBuilderToys online: Blog, Facebook and Etsy Shop.

Tweet

Crafting for a Cure

Breast Cancer touches the lives of so many. My grandmothers were survivors, my mother is a survivor, many good friends are survivors. 

October is a month filled with pink ... pink to remind us of the devastation that Breast Cancer brings to each man and woman whose body it attacks and the importance of supporting amazing charities that provide essential research funds, moving us closer and closer to finding a cure. 

Three amazing EtsyKids team members are Crafting for a Cure, donating 25-50% the sale of their item to a well deserving Cancer Charity.  Make your dollar do double duty and purchase one of these items.  You will not only receive an amazing handcrafted tooth fairy pillow, blanket or print, but you will help researchers find better drugs and treatments, better methods of detection, better preventative practices with the portion of your purchase going to worthy charities.  

Tooth Fairy Pillow, Miss Petunia Pretty Pants by kookycritters

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, $5 from the sale of this Critter will go to nationalbreastcancer.org.

No Monkey Business - Find a Cure Activity Blanket & Plush Toy Set by myminimocs

50% of the proceeds from the sale of this limited edition blanket & plush toy set will go to a Breast Cancer Awareness Charity. 

Believe in Yourself, 5x7" Print, Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month by ZavalickDesigns

During October, $5 of the sale of these prints (pink design only) will be donated to the American Cancer Society

Tweet

Scramblin' Spiders

These creepy crawlers never looked so cute! Snag one up for your munchkin to enjoy all month long!

Halloween Spider Shirt by AvysSewRight
Halloween Name Shirt by littlepetuniadesigns
Spiderweb creepers & t-shirts by roseprintsonline
Along Came a Spider Initial Applique Custom Shirt by TheRoyalDetails
Personalized Super Hero Bodysuit or Shirt by siblingspecialtees
Boys Halloween Tie Shirt by lucymaedesigns

Tweet

Top it Off Right!

Have you come to learn, as I have, that sometimes all you need to make or break a really great costume is a fabulous hat? These sellers certainly have! Check out all of these fun and creative hats that will turn a simple top and bottom from your closet into a full blown well planned out costume!

ABOVE::

Giraffe Hat plus Diaper cover by Bethanys5
Goldilocks Halloween Costume Hat by babygraceprops
Knight Helmet by ThisNThatBoutique
Customize Your Robot Hat by palomiux

ABOVE::

Mary Poppins Nanny Black Hat, kid sized by magicalattic
Pirate Hat, newborn to 2T by guzanito
Personalized Mouse Ears by AddieKatBoutique
Custom Chef's Hat and Coat by Nanny Boutique
Chicken Fleece Hat Pattern by tiedyediva
Robin Hood or Peter Pan Hat by TwoLittleBluebirds

Tweet

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Our shamrocks and pots of gold are all put away for another year, and Spring is finally, finally here!! Woo Hoo! Here in the Midwest, and in many other parts of the world, it's been a long, long winter, and we are ready to surround ourselves with everything SPRING!

Fuzzy Bunny Infant Hat by TizzyDee
Easter Bunny Rabbit Softie by looploft
Simply Sweet Bunnies Appliqued T by ChewChewsCloset
3 Tier Sweet Cheeks Bunny Diaper Cake by mylittleangleco
Chocolate Bunny I Spy Bag by thosegreathousewomen

Tweet