Snowy Day Splurge.

We've been snowed in a lot this season and that has got us to some pretty hairy situations (read=stir crazy). After one of those long snow days last week I sat at The Small Object and gave in to some long-held desires. I just love the playful and imaginative spirit that Sarah's things have. She brings such a quirky eye to the ordinary.

Of course, I had to indulge in the birthday candle. Our birthday season is spring so this wonderful little candle holder will have to wait a little while but it makes me happy right now.

Then, I went for the thumbprint notecard set: little stickers of hats and tails and eyes accompany a notepad ready for thumbprint creature making. We haven't played with this yet but I'm so excited to meet the little people my boys and I can create with this.
And, the real reason I landed on the site to begin with is this: the tell-me-a-story game. Roll the dice and make up a story to accompany the images. It works for extended age groups because you can match the images on an index card included with the game, just tell the story or even write the story on a notepad. Reminds me so much of the days of parlor games and family time. Yet, it's simple and small enough to bring to a restaurant.
And...a little something for me! The do-it-yourself notepad maker. Woot! Woot! In regular small object fashion it is sweet, simple and easy. It comes with enough paper and backing to instantly make a notepad for menu planning (which I am TRYING, TRYING, TRYING to get in to the habit of doing). And, the other supplies (including a pad making compound) to make up to 50 other notepads. Ooh, the possibilities!
So, bring it on winter weather. We are ready...for a little while.

Travel Toys

My son has an insane attachment to his fire engine puzzle to the point that just after meeting someone new he invites them to come over to do the puzzle together. So, when we went to California I knew we would need to bring the puzzle along but the box is bulky and not easy to pack. No problem. Crafy mama snapped up a solution...this easy bag to transport it. It kept the hotel room tidy and the luggage a bit more manageable. No small feat, I do say.

The Luckiest Little Man

It's hard not to feel like this little man-to-be is unbelievably blessed. And, you had better believe I am feeling the same.

Not only did my work colleagues throw me an amazing baby shower with homemade food but they bought gifts mostly from etsy and even connected with one of my craftiest friends for some amazing surprises. I just love the love that etsy spreads, it's such a good kind.

These beautiful booties, gorgeous sweater and baby soaps are all from work friends and were bought on etsy. The soap I have already sampled, got some for family at Christmas. My work colleague is friends with the soap maker, Marigold, and I have to say this is some good stuff. For her baby soap she did all kinds of research to create this baby-friendly soap. Her soaps are so gentle and smell good and don't turn into goop in your soap dish, an incredible combination.

They also got the baby an amazing owl mobile that I find myself just standing and admiring, as if mobiles weren't already amazing this felt owl-friendly creature is also red/white/black perfect for baby vision without being offensive to mama like so many conventional baby mobiles are.

Also, a while ago my work colleague had contacted my artist friend lily through etsy about her painted dolls. So, to my amazement the two of them had connected and through my work colleague lily sent this mobile (I said etsy love was good!). The ceiling in the baby's room is going to be filled with with floating, fun good feelings.

And, because Lily is just one of those people she went ahead and also sent doll version of our soon-to-be four person family. Check these out!! She custom makes these for sale on etsy and they are even better in person than you can imagine. I put them within view at my desk for two days and as soon as I brought them home my husband put them next to his bed so he looks at them in the morning. They are that great. I don't know if it comes across in the photo but the baby is in a sling and has a little leg sticking out...it's too great.

All of this is coming from someone I work with, who happens to be an amazing photographer/ crafter in her own right. So, she went ahead and took four photographs using the dolls in different settings. No, I am not kidding! Check this one out.

So, now my plan is to frame all four photographs to put them up in our kitchen when it is finished. Talk about good shivers. I'm just a crazy bundle of good shivers. Babies bring such challenges and alot of that has been on my mind these days but, wow, they sure do bring some kind of special joy.

Yikes! Save Handmade Toys...

Apparently, in the rush to protect children from unsafe toys filled with phthalates and lead, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in August. Great, right? The only problem is that the new regulations, which are easy for large toy manufacturers to follow and include third party testing, are also applied to handmade toys sold in the U.S. Congress simply forgot to exclude handmade toy makers in this law. This could leave many handmade toy makers (can you say etsy!) either in danger of breaking the law or out of business. There is more at handmadetoyalliance.org. Please do look at it and then let Congress know how you feel about the handmade toy industry.