Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

After much anticipation, we have a winner! I am thrilled tO announce that the winner of our Bookland Bundle is... Ruth McLoughlin! Can't wait to work with you Ruth! Thanks so much to everyone that entered. Even though only one could win we'd like to offer you a coupon good for 15% off your order from our Etsy shop. Just use code BUNDLE15.

Custom Bundle Giveaway!

We've made it to 100! In honor of our 100th like (thank you to Christine from Jades Closet) on Facebook and a new offering on Etsy, we're doing our very own giveaway through our very own blog! All you need to do to enter is comment on this blog post with the name of your favorite childhood book. Then, you can always share on Facebook to give your friends a chance of winning too!

We've just started offering them in the Etsy shop and now, you get the first chance at our new venture: custom designed Bookland bundles for baby bibliophiles. Winner will receive a custom gift set from Babes in Bookland valued at $99.  You will get to choose a book from our stash (or let us know if there's one you'd REALLY like us to find for you) for a custom made book mobile, coordinating fabric for three cloth diaper burp cloths, paper garland, washi tape clothespins, a hand embroidered pennant, three puffsy sticks, and three reusable felt gift bows. All in the color scheme and style of your choosing!

A winner will be chosen at random and announced via the blog on Monday, April 30 at 9:00pm. Good luck to all, and we can't wait to work with you designing your Bookland Bundle!

Check out the listing for Bookland Bundles on Etsy.

Home Is Where the Hope Is

I loved decorating my kids room before Fletcher was born. I spent so much time wandering the antique stores looking for just the right items to add to the mix. It's easier doing a room for a boy and a girl than you might think. Not everything for girls has to be pink, and not everything for boys has to be blue! With a mixture of vintage and handmade, it all came together wonderfully in the end.

I don't have pictures of my own kids room to share right now (it's NEVER clean enough to photograph and the lighting is terrible in there) but my latest treasury has tons of things that I love for kids rooms. It's all about vintage charm and adorable but educational elements such as the maps and letters. How about a big shout out for the alphabet? It's so in right now...

She's the Salt of the Earth

It's Thursday. Also known as the day I peruse the Sac Etsy Team listings in an effort to find a selection of items that inspires me enough to put them all together and think of a clever title. ALSO known as my turn to create a team treasury. What started out as an attempt at compiling items with earth tones, turned into a song reference from way in my past, which resulted in me having lots of warm fuzzy memories of high school (something that nothing in the treasury has anything to do with). I swear, I never wore a girdle in high school and I definitely didn't know how to embroider yet. Treasuries seem to be a pretty important part of being successful on Etsy. Without them, you have no chance of getting recognized on the front page. Seems that all anyone does on Etsy is either try to make money, or try to be on the front page. Myself? I'll take the money. Treasuries are just for fun. PS Anyone out there who reads this. I swear I will give you a 50% off coupon if you can write me the lyrics to the song I'm referencing in a comment. Anyone. This is a test to see if anyone is reading. Ready, Go.

3rd Saturday Spring Craft Fling

April 21st from 5-8 pm at Craftology in Fair Oaks, we will be participating in a small craft fair sponsored by Craftology and Jewelry by Charisma. There are going to be refreshments, music, and a wide assortment of local artisans showcasing their wares. We are looking forward to it and are going to spend some time this week hopefully putting up fliers in the local coffee shops and stores that we frequent. Hope to see you there!

3rd Saturday Spring Craft Fling

New product coming soon

Very excited about this new product we've decided to add to our shop. Coming soon, hand embroidered felt pennants! We love the way our kids vintage pennants look in their room and I love embroidery, so why not mix the two?

We are going to spend the next couple weeks on creating several premade options to post in the shop, and will also have the option to make them completely custom just for you! Your words, your colors, your choice!

Shown in the picture from left to right are: my own hunger games/chorus line inspired design (I'm a little obsessed, it's beginning to show in my work...), our babes in Bookland shop pennant, and a cheery yellow and peacock blue "shine" pennant (probably wont be doing one like that again...I do NOT like how it turned out!).

For updates on new items and to be notified when the pennants are in the shop for sale,like us on Facebook! Making a purchase? Convo us for a 10% off coupon!

Why embroider?

Little bit of a close-up

Because I love that there are at least 20 different colors of pink thread to choose from...and twice the options for green. I've always wanted to learn how to embroider, and I decided that now is a good a time as any. Heading to a baby shower this weekend with some Babes in Bookland goodies in tow and I am so excited to embroider the babies initials on the burp cloths. Maybe soon I'll be able to offer this as an option in the shop!

Bought a book and some thread to match my burp cloth cotton last night and started practicing with different stitches. Back stitch, split stitch, cross stitch, hook stitch, sticky stitch, witch stitch...I don't know...I can't remember the names so I may be making some up. Point is, I did a lot. Oh yeah, french knots. Those are harder than they look...

I practiced a different type of stitch on each letter of the babies name. It did not turn out very well...so I've decided to stick with just doing her first initial, and doing it big. Here's what my practice looked like last night. More experimentation than practice I suppose.

"Giada"

If the picture is a little blurry...it's because I'm no photographer. And apparently...no master embroiderer! You probably can't even make out what the name is...but that G looks pretty good yeah? I'm pretty proud of it as it was my first letter ever of that stitch. I also like the way the satin stitch on the dress turned out.

I'm off to embroider now...possibly on anything and everything. I caught myself practicing on my pillowcase last night while I was laying down feeding Fletcher...you know you're some kind of crazy crafter when you have a needle and thread on your bedside table within arms reach and you pick it up and just start going at your bed linens. I need to be stopped.

UPDATE: Check out finished embroidery after the jump!