Meet Tenderblue!

Today we introduce you to EtsyKids Team Member Susana of tenderblue

• what motivated you to start your shop?

I want to show the world my creations and when I discovered Etsy I thought it was the best way to do so.

• what is the story behind your shop name?

I love blue and I work with tenderness.

• do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?

I love many shops on Etsy, some of them are anapinatellier, Susana Tavares, Tamar, Carambatak, Kraplap and many others.

• what surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

The Etsy community and the users relationships.

• what do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

To capture people’s attention to my work.

• what's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

Create modern baby clothes without loosing the traditional methods of manufacturing them.

• how would someone (other then yourself) describe you?

Calm, sensible, patient, a little bit shy but friendly and tender.

• what music do you have on while you are creating?

I love Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Katie Melua, Eddie Vedder. In general relaxing music.

• what do you do when you aren't working?

I'm a dedicated mother.

• please tell us a little about the children's items market / handmade movement in your Country?

In Portugal, the handmade products, mostly those for children, aren't valued that much, other then by a small group of people.

• anything else you'd like to tell us or share?

I'd like to say that discovering Etsy was very important for me.

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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

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EtsyKids Design Challenge for September: Harvest Time

(images via Flickr: 1. Wheat Crop Harvest; 2. Harvesting Rice; 3. Pumpkins; 4. Blue Door;)

Each month EtsyKids Team members are challenged to create a unique item within a chosen theme. "Harvest Time" is our challenge for September, picked by our last month's winner BoyGirlBoyGirlDesign. We'll be featuring autumn decor and fashion for kids, with farm, rustic and woodland motifs.

EtsyKids members will have until September 19th to submit their entries, and voting will be open to everybody from Wednesday, September 21st to Tuesday, September 27th. So, be sure to come back to the EtsyKids blog for a new post on the 21st to see all of the entries and VOTE! In the meantime, please click here to get a sneak peek at some exciting entries so far!

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Meet PetalPetal!

Today we introduce you to EtsyKids Team Member Brianne of PetalPetal

• what motivated you to start your shop?

My first official line of children's apparel was PetalPetal, a line of flower girl and occasional couture mix and match tops and skirts. I started the line soon after helping my sister-in-law shop for a modern flower girl outfit. We came home with your typical sparkly silky dress which just didn't match her natural outdoor wedding and which her flower girl, Ella, has never worn again. A week after her wedding I came up with the Biggest Flower skirt on a whim and she immediately said, "Why didn't you make that before the wedding? It would have been perfect for a flower girl!" Then the designs just kept coming! Eventually, they flowed over into my new line of vintage-inspired everyday wear for the modern child, VintageChild:Modern.

• what is the story behind your shop name?

Well, flower girls are known for tossing petals down the aisle, and I think the word "petal" is a great word, so I just used it twice. Really, I don't remember thinking through the name, it just came to me and I ran with it.

• do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?

So many! I love paper, so RubyRedDesignStudio and imeondesign. I stalk Coldfish because I love her vintage finds, but have yet to buy. HazelVillage has little creatures so incredibly full of personality and they are just as gorgeous in person. I want everything from Nadinoo and OhhhLuLu. I could go on and on, but I'll stop there!

• what surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

How connected I would become with my customers, especially the brides I work with through PetalPetal. I LOVE when I get photos back from them that they just have to share with me because they loved their flower girl outfits so much! I have been known to cry over thank you notes.

• what do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

Again, how connected you become with people. Anyone who pours their heart into their work takes a risk. It is a vulnerable spot to be in. I have built great relationships with my customers, but the handmade business is never just about the tasks of designing, sewing and marketing. It is about getting to know people and working to bring their dreams to life.

• what's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

I love things that are playfully sophisticated. I don't like things stuffy or that have no life to them, but I do love structure. I think the designs from PetalPetal have an almost architectural feel to them, but are still perfect for twirling and running and being silly. My philosophy for VintageChild:Modern has been clear from the beginning. I love the quote from Leonardo da Vinci that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." And yes, I do think sophistication and childhoods can go together beautifully!

• how would someone (other then yourself) describe you?

Hmm, well I would love to be described as a playful, free spirit and I think there is definitely that side to me, but I think that during this time in my life as I work to build my two new lines, I think that my friends would say I have become a workaholic, often late and very focused. But I am working to bring more balance into my life right now and I think that I have a deep love of life and of joy and of play that shows through in my work and will hopefully show through in my everyday life again soon!

• what music do you have on while you are creating?

Well, I often like to work in quiet as sewing has its own rhythm to it, but whenever I am working on editing photos or doing other computer work, I love listening to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Cat Stevens, The Hollies, Roberta Flack, Peter, Paul and Mary, etc. on my record player and Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, The Felice Brothers, Arcade Fire, etc. etc. on my iPod.

• what do you do when you aren't working?

I feel like I am always on call with work, but I try to squeeze in some meals and coffee dates with friends and I adore the fantastic live music that can be found all over Portland. I also have a deep love for everything that has ever been produced by the BBC, good, bad or ugly.

• anything else you'd like to tell us or share?

Before beginning PetalPetal I worked for a nonprofit focused on eradicating human trafficking. It opened my eyes to how few opportunities women have around the world so while I love to design and sew, the greater focus of my business has always been to build a company that helps support other women entrepreneurs. Almost all materials from fabrics to buttons to business cards I use for PetalPetal and VintageChild:Modern are purchased from other women-owned businesses and 5% of all profits from both lines are invested in microloans for other women entrepreneurs through Kiva.

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A Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man-Meet My Artsy Baby

Molly Wagner discovered Etsy in 2008 when she was looking for unique baby items for her 5th child. He would be sharing his parents' room for a bit, so she was looking for nursery pieces that wouldn't make the bedroom look like a preschool. She wanted it to be special and artsy without compromising their adult space.

Browsing through Etsy, not really finding exactly what she wanted, she figured she would just paint her own art for his space. It was then that she realized that she should try to open her own shop and sell the type of children's art that she was already painting for baby shower gifts.

My Artsy Baby was opened in April that year. Four months later, her son Isaac was born. It seemed from the moment he had coordination to hold a crayon, he has been his mother's shadow. He loves to paint and create with mommy, more than any of her other children did. He is completely happy staying in her "Art Room" (sometimes for hours) while she works on orders. He has his own little easel set up in one corner, and just about every coloring book he owns (which is A LOT) has been watercolor painted or colored in.

Once the older kids get home from school, they require all of their mom's attention, leaving Molly no time to work. By having Isaac painting in the same room during the day, it keeps him occupied while she works. It also still gives them quality time together. He is a quick learner, so she tries to incorporate age appropriate lessons (mixing colors, painting or drawing shapes, animal colors, etc) into their time. When he isn't painting, he might be on the floor playing with playdoh, or dancing around the room using crepe paper streamers as ribbons.

It seems as though Molly's Etsy shop was appropriately named because, as Molly says, "He truly is My Artsy Baby." Who knows, maybe he'll grow up and open his own Etsy shop some day. To his Mom, his precious little paintings already are priceless .

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Meet Rosirouge!

Today’s installment marks the beginning of a new feature here on the EtsyKids Team Blog, a get to know our members opportunity -

Today we introduce you to EtsyKids Team Member Rosi of rosirouge

• what motivated you to start your shop?

Once I found out about Etsy, I thought it was perfect for my line of baby blankets and infantwear since my items are really one-of-a-kind. I use vintage fabrics and trims and sometimes it's not possible to make duplicates. Etsy is an outlet to show that ONE item.

• what is the story behind your shop name?

My shop name is rosirouge. I used to blush a lot when I was younger...so shy. My BFF coined the nickname (Sad to say it is few and far between now and my rouge comes on with a brush!) I really should have started with the name Hanky Blanky which is the name of my line, but Etsy does not let you change names, once you chose one.

• do you have a favorite Etsy Shop (non-child related)?

Yes, http://www.etsy.com/shop/sushipotparts. She's a collector as am I...I feel as if I'm at a great flea market!

• what surprised you most about having your own craft / online shop?

I am always surprised when I make a sale. I was surprised when I learned about the many teams that help further promote the Etsy community

• what do you find most challenging about being an Etsy seller?

What is most challenging is keeping up with new listings. The photography, the promotion, devoting time to keep the shop fresh.

• what's your personal philosophy behind your shop / products?

I am inspired by vintage things that I have found combing through flea mkts and antique fairs. In making my blankets and things for baby, I want to recapture the innocence of days gone by, a simpler time...using the all-natural fabrics from those eras and re-using/re-cycling sweaters for my plush and a new line of baby sweaters and sock-moccasins. It's important to me to re-cycle and re-purpose these hankies, fabrics, sweaters, buttons and trims.

• how would someone (other then yourself) describe you?

I have been described as having boundless energy, a doer/pro-active, responsible and a girl who likes to have fun.

• what music do you have on while you are creating?

Minneapolis radio: thecurrent.org (I live in NYC)

• what do you do when you aren't working?

I grow flowers and vegetables in the summer, I love to mosaic things like birdhouses, table tops or frames and vases in the winter

• anything else you'd like to tell us or share?

Besides sewing things for my Etsy Shop, I have a full-time career as a costume-maker for Broadway and Film. I needed to keep myself busy during the down times and that is when I started to quilt the hankies into blankies, and designing all the baby clothes with my collection of vintage fabrics.

For the local shoppers, everything is made here in New York. Come visit and get a hands on experience:

Sunday October 2nd at the Atlantic Antic- between Boerum Place and Smith.

October 9th @ Nyack's Famous Street Fair

Oct 15th @ Crafts in Chelsea (W. 21st St, btwn 8th-9th)

And my full website showing many more products is:

http://www.hankyblanky.com/

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A Space of Her Own: Mom N Mia Quilts

Today we stop in Grand Rapids Michigan for a tour of Mom N Mia's Quilts. Maria Klesney makes everything from quilts to bibs and her signature Art Buckets in her studio, which takes up about 1/3 of her basement/lower level. She only shares it with her stacks of fabric!

She used to take over the entire kitchen and then some for sewing. As her business (and fabric stash) started to grow, they decided to finish off the basement so she could have a space dedicated to her work. The open floor plan (only 3 walls) allows the kids their own play room on one side, while her husband has an office on the other side of her studio space. They can all converse and see what the others are doing all the time. The space is a large daylight basement, with a great casement window above her sewing desk for lots of natural light.

Even though her studio is part of a larger shared area, her family knows not to mess with "Mom's Stuff".
The kids occassionally raid her notions drawers for ribbons, buttons, etc., but they are generally hands off. Her 5-year old loves to help her pin fabric together in prep for sewing. She tries to keep it pretty organized, but still manages to misplace things . . . like the piece of fabric she special ordered for a custom project...it's in there somewhere!!

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In The News:: Westmama Designs

Magazine editors have caught on to the treasure trove that is Etsy. When BabyTalk Magazine, contacted Kimberly, owner and designer of EtsyKids Shop, Westmama, for a product sample, she never dreamed it would end up on the cover of the September 2011 issue!! Congratulations Kimberly!!


Love the shirt? See all of Westmama Design's T-Rex shirts here.

Westmama Designs Etsy Shop.
Westmama Designs Blog.
Westmama Designs on Twitter.
Westmama Designs on Facebook.

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EtsyKids Design Challenge: We have a Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of this month's challenge 31. Shoes Apple Children's Painted Girls Denim Back to School by boygirlboygirldesign!


"How perfect are these shoes for Back to School or Fall Time!! We hand painted these denim colored shoes with a delicious apple on the toes. We then added fun red with white polka dots ribbon for the shoe laces. So cute for the little apple of your eye."

BoyGirlBoyGirlDesign is an Etsy store filled with wonderful hand dyed and hand painted children's items, ranging from clothing to shoes. All are created by a very artistic mother and daughter team. You can check out more of their wearable art right here!

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Fresh Tomato Soup

I love today’s recipe so much that it is taped inside my cupboard door so I can always find it. I got it online several years ago when I wanted to make tomato soup but didn’t have onions. I don’t remember the source of the recipe, but apparently this is what comes up when you search for “tomato soup without onions.”

I make this soup year round, cheating by using a 28-oz can (or two) of crushed tomatoes. They’re a good substitute in the winter and spring months when good tomatoes are just not available.

Fresh Tomato Soup

2 lb. tomatoes
3 T butter
2 T flour
1 t salt
1/2 t sugar
1/4 t pepper
1 c water
1/2 c vegetable broth

Wash and stem tomatoes. Fill a large pot full of water and bring to a boil. Blanche the tomatoes by dipping them in the boiling water for 10-15 seconds. Plunge tomatoes into cold water (ice water, preferably). Let cool just a bit and carefully remove skins. Dice.

In a large saucepan, heat butter and add tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and run through a blender. (I use an immersion blender right in the pan; just watch for splattering. It’s hot.)

Return tomatoes to pan. Sprinkle with flour, salt, sugar and pepper. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add water, then broth. Heat to simmering.

Garnish with butter and fresh parsley, and serve with crackers. Serves 6.

Variations

I like to add a couple of cups of cooked macaroni to the soup. Here are more variations from the original recipe:

• Serve with croutons.


• Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese


• Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil leaves and a little bit of shredded mozzarella cheese


• Add fresh rosemary or chopped chives while simmering


• Add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sage


• Reserve a tomato half and dice it, adding it to the creamy soup near the end of simmering


• Add 1 cup cooked white rice

Bon appetit! -Cori of Peace, Baby! Batiks

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My Little Pony

My husband gave me horseback riding lessons for my birthday a few years ago, and I couldn’t wait until the first one. I‘d bring a pocket full of apples to the stable. The horse I rode would look up at me with those adoring deep blue long lashed eyes, and I’d reach out to pet that gleaming lavender coat with the butterfly tattoo on it’s butt—knowing that I had found a devoted friend for life who would follow me anywhere .
What no one mentioned was the pain… or the punching.

I was apprehensive about that first lesson. How ridiculous would I look to all the 12 year old girls in their smart little riding outfits (I had on jeans and sneakers, the helmet the stable provided was too big, and hanging past my eyebrows-- someone actually said to me while I was riding ‘Use the Force, Luke’), not to mention the 20 something year difference in ages)? But my instructor, Holly, was really great. I was totally relaxed & confident until she mentioned the bus dropping her off at the stable after school and I realized she didn’t mean college.

Learning to ride a horse is a lot like learning to drive a standard shift car-except the horse can sense weakness and put itself into any gear it wants to whether your foot is on the clutch or not. The hardest part is getting the darn things started. You don’t just jump on and go. There’s a lot of kicking and swearing. Holly handed me a crop. I didn’t want to take it. Why would I need to kick Chief when he just had to understand how much I loved him and then he would take me wherever I wanted? Next week, when I road Charmer, I took that crop without hesitation.

That second lesson on Charmer was better. I think that after Holly laid back and punched him when he started head butting her, he was in more of a mind to pay attention. I got him to walk and trot and run away with me. Ok, he ran on his own, but I didn’t fall off. I pulled back and sideways on the reins and said, ‘Whoa’. Holly said I handled it very well. I didn’t tell her that I was falling off and just happened to be holding onto the reins and the ‘Whoa-Aaaa’ usage as a horse term was pure coincidence. It's a saying I stole from my 3 year old niece who uses it when she’s gotten too dizzy and is going to fall down.

Even so, I felt like I had accomplished something and couldn’t wait until the next lesson. Imagine my surprise when after an hour on Charmer, I found the body parts I normally use only for sitting, weren’t even good for that. During the first lesson Holly had said something about doing stretching exercises and warming up, but I was too busy kicking furiously and trying to make my ‘giddyup’ clicking noises sound like I meant business to pay attention. Besides, I wasn’t really straining anything sitting there and kicking. The pain didn’t go away until a bottle of ‘Aleve’ and 5 days later.

The next Saturday I was back on Charmer, with a pair of $15 boots, a better fitting helmet and having done a bunch of stretching exercises. I didn’t have to use the crop as much as I had before and I learned to canter. Best of all, when the 12 year old girls smiled and said ‘hello’, I could smile back. I realize we have more in common that I thought. We’ve all been handed a lot of hooey about ‘pretty ponies’ by a toy company and are discovering what horses are really about. It is too bad about the butterfly tattoos on their rear ends, though. It would give us a place to aim for when we use the crop.

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Loveys Among Strangers

Bedtime around our house consists of the typical rituals; bath, pajamas, teeth brushing and story reading. Somewhere in the midst of these activities we also have to hunt down "Lovey", the tattered little blanket that my toddler son is so attached to, and couldn't possibly sleep without. I don't even like to contemplate what life would be like around here if Lovey were to be permanently lost, and we have had a few close calls.


My Etsy shop, Little Sidekick had only been open a few months when I received an email from a woman with an unusual request. She wanted to purchase something from me, but not any of the items I had listed for sale; she wanted to buy a stuffed monkey toy that I had used as a prop in one of my photos. Her son had officially adopted an identical monkey as his "security" item, and it had gone missing for a few days.


"I think I cried almost as much as he did" she told me, and after the monkey was recovered, she was determined to find a back-up. After searching exhaustively for one, with no luck, she stumbled across a listing of mine for a crocheted monkey hat. In the photos my son is modeling the hat and holding the exact stuffed monkey she had been looking for.




Her note went on to say that before she emailed me to ask about the monkey, she visited my blog "to see if you might have mentioned anything about the monkey being special to one of your children before I asked about it." From my blog, she discovered I was in a band, and that I had just met her husband a couple of weeks before, when my band played the music venue he owns! Given that I live in Texas, and they're in Maryland, it struck us both that this was an amazingly random coincidence of the kind that really makes you realize what a small world we live in.


Of course, I sent the monkey to her. I had to search for it, found it under the changing table, and warned her that it had probably spent at least some amount of time in my own son's mouth. For us it was just one of a gazillion stuffed animals we own and had had a brief career as a photo prop, but for her son it was a treasured childhood toy, so I was so happy to be able to help. She also ended up buying a monkey hat from me and later reported that the original monkey had lost its nose, so the replacement arrived just in time!

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EtsyKids Design Challenge: It's time to Vote!

It's time to vote for your favorite item! Voting will be open through midnight EST, August 27th. This month, EtsyKids members were challenged to create an exciting new item based on a theme "In the Mood for School!". We received a bunch of fantastic entries from some talented people. Each participant was assigned a unique random number. Please note your favorite from the list below and place your vote. You can also view each entry in detail by clicking on links provided at the bottom of this post or HERE.



(If you can't view the voting poll above, please follow HERE to vote.)

1. bebbyjumpers


2. mylittlenuggets


3. TriedandTrueDesigns


4. harmonygirlsclothing


5. TheFeltedPear


6. kadydiddesigns


7. sugarbumps creations


8. tzburps


9. aBcchildren


10. angelswan81


11. stewey75


12. fabricblooms


13. elephantsnbutterflys


14. StoryBuilderToys


15. My Poplin


16. loveinbloomboutique


17. claraclips


18. BuggleAndBoo


19. Tuscanycreative


20. Ladesigns2


21. MLarsendesigns


22. PetalPetal


23. bisongirl


24. PaperTreehouseStudio


25. craftybeever


26. nJoyArt


27. IrishHooksAndYarn


28. Little Sweetie Boutique


29. apple n amos


30. Pink Stripe


31. BoyGirlBoyGirlDesign


32. kyandkin


33. CreartivityDesigns


34. littletadpoledesigns


35. Mysticmoor


36. twogreenolivetrees


37. babeagogo


38. thelivelybaby


39. kendrasred


40. Trendy Tykes


41. AddieKaeSnaps


42. SweeterThanSweets


43. LittleTicket


44. FireflyBlankets


45. annarellagirl


46. ducksinarowboutique


47. mamieco


48. monsterinthecloset


49. hickitypickity


50. auntierobin.etsy.com


51. Gumdropgrove


52. The Pink Pixie Shop


53. KnittyMomma


54. SwagMags


55. pieceofcupcake


56. thenook


57. DollsAndDaydreams


58. FiestaKidsBoutique


59. jjkgirlythings


60. nwalkercreations


61. Tuscanycreative


62. stitchinnetka


63. Jilly Bean Jar


64. ogekko


65. ThreeCsCustomDesigns


66. tenderblue


67. All Things Girly!


68. SugarPlumFairyBows


69. sewsonancy


70. sunnybrookfarmdesign

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Tutorial:: Summer Sponge Balls

I am so happy it's summer. Pools & water play are my Bug's favorite! She got a water table last year for her birthday and we now live at a complex with a pool! Hooray! I just made these Sponge Balls last weekend and figured today was the perfect day to give you a little how to so you can have some summer fun with them!

You will need:

Sponges {I got a pack of 3 for $1}

Dental Floss

Scissors

{and an extra pair of hands would be helpful...me, I just did it myself somehow!}

Here's what you do:

Cut up your sponges into strips. I did about 4 strips per sponge.

Now take a few different colored strips and pile them on top of each other. You may want to use more than I did. Mine didn't come out very full, but I didn't have enough hands to handle more by myself.

Here is where the extra set of hands come in handy. Twist them tight and tie a strand of floss around the center. I couldn't take a pic of me tying the floss and twisting since I only have 2 hands. Wish I had more some days!

Now it should look like a little sponge pom pom ball!

Throw them in a water table or a bath tub! You can also use them with older kids as water bombs and try to tag each other with them!

Brought to you by Lauren from crocheting4baby {and} Tutus & Tea Parties

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Treasury Thursdays!

Enjoy this super cute EtsyKids August Leo's Step Right Up Treasury created by an EtsyKids Team member Babswool

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Back to School Printable from Creative Mamma

School is starting back up all over the nation and super talented EtsyKids team member Joy Charde, the talented lady behind Creative Mamma, created a fun Kawaii Back-to-School printable to share.

I know you'll find great ways to use this multipurpose pack ... book labels, blank cards - use them as lunch box notes or messages to the teacher, weekly homework planner, and of course bookmarks.

Print off a couple sheets of book labels, blank cards, or bookmarks, cut them up and send them in as a little surprise for your child's teacher. They will appreciated and will quickly be put to good use in the classroom.

You can find more of Joy's sweet printable designs on her website Creative Mamma, and in her shop, TheArtOfJoy.

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EtsyKids Design Challenge for August: In the mood for school!

(images via Flickr: school zone, pencils, letter a for apple, alphabet street, crayons, school room)

Each month EtsyKids Team members are challenged to create a unique item within a chosen theme. "In the mood for school!" is our challenge for August, picked by our last month's winners Redrane and BellaSeraBoutique. We'll be featuring items such as book bags, backpacks, lunch carriers and fall fashion.

EtsyKids members will have until August 19th to submit their entries, and voting will be open to everybody from Sunday, August 21st to Saturday, August 27th. So, be sure to come back to the EtsyKids blog for a new post on the 21st to see all of the entries and VOTE! In the meantime, please click here to get a sneak peek at some exciting entries so far!

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Summer Recipe: Sauteed Green Beans

When I was in college at Syracuse University, we used to eat out from time to time at a Chinese restaurant near campus. With rare exception, I always got the sauteed green beans. I loved them, and every time I’ve ordered Chinese since, I’ve looked for something similar. I never really found it.

Then, a few years ago, I picked up a recipe at the grocery store for “Green Beans Chinese-Style,” and lo and behold, there were my beloved sauteed green beans again! It’s a simple, fast recipe, and whenever I have fresh green beans (as I did from last week’s farm share), it’s the first recipe I think of.

Plus, it gets my son to eat green beans.

Sauteed Green Beans

1.5T minced fresh ginger*
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, minced**
2T dry sherry
2T sugar
2T soy sauce
2T vegetable oil
1.5 lb. green beans, trimmed, rinsed and patted dry

* I often substitute 1t ground ginger.
** If I don’t have green onions, I use a couple of tablespoons of regular onions.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the ginger, garlic, green beans, onion, sherry, soy sauce, and 1T water. (Important note: don’t double the sauce. It might seem like there’s not enough, but there is. The sauce is supposed to mostly cook away and get sticky on the beans.)


Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir fry the green beans for 2 minutes. Add 2T of water and cook for another 2 minutes or until the water is evaporated. Add the sauce and stir fry for 5 more minutes or until the beans are tender. Serve over rice.


Serves 6. (Yeah right — my husband, son, and I can polish this off in one sitting!)


Enjoy! -Cori of Peace, Baby! Batiks

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EtsyKids Design Challenge: We have a Winner! ( ..well two winners really)

We had a tie this month. Congratulations to our two winners of Etsy Kids July Challenge
56. Little Stinker Skunk Hat - Baby to adult sizes available by Redrane!

and
78. Custom Boutique Crochet Tiger Hat UNISEX ANY SIZE photoprop each hat unique by BellaSeraBoutique!

Each of our winners deserves an introduction, so without further ado.....

~About Redrane
Full of vibrant color and artistic design, Redrane shop presents items such as baby slings, cozy blankets, baby hats, cute dresses with hand painted details and more. You can visit Redrane right here.


~ About Bella Sera Boutique
Bella Sera Boutique features unique hand crocheted designs, hand painted items, accessories, and graphics. It' fun, whimsical, and you can visit it right here.

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Very special thanks to our Blog Captain, Inter-Blog Coordinator, EtsyKids Treasury Team Captain and all of the guest contributors for your incredible work in promoting the EtsyKids Christmas in July Event.

Thank you all.

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