Showing posts with label handmade toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label handmade toys. Show all posts

19 November 2009

Thrifty Thursday: Children

Happy Thursday :)

With the economy the way it is, I know a lot of parents are going to be struggling to get toys and presents for their children this Christmas.  So I thought I'd share with you so things that my daughter adores that are fun, inspire imagination and self learning, and won't break the bank.

If you're a sewer, I know you'll have tons of scrap fabric around, but even if you aren't, raid everyone's wardrobes for clothes that don't fit, are stained, ripped whatever, and cut them up - I made this fab play mat for my daughter in a couple of days out of scraps, old shirts, and some left over polyfil from a cushion my cat scratched up. The base layer is from a vintage wool coat that had irremovable stains on. And if you don't sew, no worries - a tube of fabric glue will set you back about $5 and works just as well :)




I think most kids love mini things - so why not get some blank peg people?



Set of three, $1 from giddygirlie.etsy.com

You could either paint them for your child, or paint them together as a fun Saturday afternoon project.

You all remember my castle right? You can order free shipping boxes to be delivered straight to your door from usps.com and whatever you don't use for your orders can be turned into all sorts of fun things for your child to play with.

As always, feel free to post links of your fun childrens crafty things on my facebook fan page all day. 

27 May 2009

101 - HippyKlippyKlopShop


I love my Hippy Mama!

Possibly one of the nicest, most caring ladies I've had te grace to come across on etsy - HippyKlippyKlopShop has fantastic items she's collected along the way.


Pre depression Sligh Furniture Co 3 pc Bedroom Suite Vintage Set in Fantastic Condition

She also makes the most beautiful wreaths - I actually have two of them - and the compliments are always flying :)
The Spirit of this Forest Wreath Catches the Fallen Dove OOAK

And she's just opened her new shop Don't Ya Look ReCreations - featuring her One Of A Kind reconstructed dresses and outfits.

The woman rocks!


18 May 2009

It's number 100!

I honestly can't believe that this is my 100th blog post!

In honour of this occasion, I'd like to spotlight two of my dearest etsy friends, hautecountryvintage, and hippyklippyklopshop - both of whom have made my last year in blog and etsy land hilarious, joyful and productive.

Post 100 is for my dear Haute, and check back soon for 101 - Hippy Mama.

It can be hard working from home - trying to structure your day without getting distracted, dealing with house stuff as well as work stuff, and really having very little social contact - which is why I love on my etsy friends.


I have my coffee in the morning with Haute - and quite often drool over all the yumminess scatter all over her shop.

French Edwardian MOP Opera Glasses with Case $225


She finds the most amazing things, and shares my love of 20s and 30s lingerie, and all thing lacey, feminine and rayon.


She also makes the most beautiful jewellry - I don't stop getting compliments on mine :)

Someday soon I'm gonna show up on her doorstep.

(in a totally no scary stalker way)

18 December 2008

On a serious note - Vintage and The CPSIA

For those of you who haven't heard (and they've kept it quiet - so don't feel bad) on Feb. 10th 2009, a law will be passed that requires all products intended for use by children under the age of 12 to be tested for lead.

Great! More safety for our kids!

Um. No.

The cost of this testing is outrageously high, and items sent in for testing are destroyed in the process. Which means that not only can we say bye bye to all our favourite handmade toymakers - we can't sell our hard to find vintage toys anymore.

Now I don't sell them - but I buy them. I want my daughter to have a Kermit the Frog puppet, a Little Tikes original doll house, a cabbage patch doll. All the simple toys that I played with and loved. She doesn't need Made in China carp - I've seen the factories these toys are made in first hand, met the workers, and it's NOT cool. Anyone who wants an idea of what it's like - watch Walmart: The High Cost Of Low Price you can even get it on Netflix.

The human rights situation in China is a whole different issue - but by supporting the new law you'll be supporting China, because the only companies that'll be able to afford the new testing are the be multinationals.

I am by no means an expert on this - but everyone needs to be aware of what is happening. On a purely selfish note - think of all the mothers who shop on Etsy for their children - they'll be gone. All the handmade children's shops (that also may shop at your shop) - gone. That's a lot of traffic knifed in one fell swoop.

Please, please, check out these links, read the forum threads, and write to whomever you can think of.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5950540
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5960024
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5939104

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/faq.html#educational

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

Please - think about this.