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.

London Calling

Having been struck by the sudden realization that this summer is not only an Olympic summer, but that it is also the year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, I've got Britain on the brain! Visions of union jacks are swirling in my head as I attempt to visualize the perfect summer get together. A few Cornish pasties, some tea (iced, this is America, hot tea does NOT cut it in the summertime here!), a little Olympics, and a lot of Beatles tunes on the old record player.

There are so many ideas for decorations on Etsy. What's funny is, I don't think there's much of a call for Union Jack themed parties in America because ALL of the sellers that I found, were in England. Makes sense, I suppose. That's the beauty of Etsy. It's worldwide and enables us American folks to have access to all the things that British crafters and artisans have to offer.

Here's an assortment of things I found that I just fell in love with, and a shout out to our friends across the pond! Links to items after the jump.

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...

Measure for Measure

I am so excited to have ordered some pieces from this wonderful designer and I cannot wait to get them in the mail. Time to pay a little lip service to Kiki from The Measure!

Kiki Fluhr of The Measure makes some of the most unique and special little girls clothes I've ever seen (and I do my fair share of browsing for little girls clothes). Her use of fabrics and addition of vintage materials makes for beautiful pieces that every little girl and her mother will love.

Her designs strike the perfect balance between "my daughter is being swallowed by ruffles and bright patterns" and "not only are there 6 Peyton's at Sunday school but they're all wearing the same dress". The benefit of buying handmade from Etsy is that, you know without a doubt that you are supporting someones small business that they worked so hard to build. There is something to be said about that kind of creativity and ingenuity.

Another bonus is that she accepts old oxford shirts and vintage doilies in exchange for store credit. I, of course, ran right down to the local antique mall that I frequent daily (no joke, I'm there almost daily some weeks). I knew that they had doilies on sale for excellent prices and a great selection to boot. Hope she likes the ones I sent! I'm even considering taking a page out of her book and sending out a request for some of the vintage children's books that we love so much at Babes in Bookland. Such a good idea!

So go check out Kiki's shop on Etsy, and like it on Facebook. She's always adding super deals for Facebook fans!

Photo credits go to Shannon Sewell. Check her out at www.shannonsewell.com

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