and we have toys!

So once again, I get to add little stuffed critters to my Etsy shop! I am still in the process, but we have some owls, and will have the turtles, whales and frogs like before.

This is a "Pi Guy" - I came up with him for Pi Day, which is right around the corner - March 14! This one sold this morning, actually, but as I write there are two more there in other colors.
I am also offering a few Mae dolls by the Bit of Whimsy pattern this time around:
And Harriet Hares, also by Bit of Whimsy:
And I believe I promised a bit of fun here on the blog, to celebrate the return to toy making! So, how about a giveaway? Leave a comment here, and I'll enter you in a drawing. Tweet, blog, or mention on Facebook, then comment here what you did, and I'll enter you again for each of those. (And make sure I know how to contact you if you win!) We'll be drawing for this guy:
He's a turtle, and his name is Speedy. See his fleet feet?
Just look at that face. This is more fun than I ought to have. :)
**Ha! Just realized I didn't give you a date for the drawing. How about Tuesday, March 2?**

Comments are closed for this giveaway.

truth be told

Recent events have brought to light the fact that I have a spiteful streak. I have a tendency to burn my bridges, paint myself into a corner, cut off my nose to spite my face (and likely throw it at the offending party).

Take the past year's CPSIA events, for example. I stopped making toys because the testing requirements made it completely unfeasible to sell one-of-a-kind toys. Over the course of the year, though, some other things happened; stays were granted, fabric and a very few other materials were exempted from testing, etc. It's still an infuriating situation, but many of the road blocks in my way, personally, were removed.

It came to the point that the only thing standing in the way of making toys again was… you guessed it… spite. Fury at a government who would make things so complicated for so little good to show for it. But in the end, was the government hurt by my pity party? Certainly not. The only one hurt by it was me.

Don't get me wrong, the labeling is still a hassle. But labeling has to be done, CPSIA or not. And I've reached the decision that I can give it a try. Because it's hard to be spiteful and infuriated when you're making a toy. It's like therapy. (Was the new design enough of a clue? Lizi did the banner all by herself, by the way!)

So over the next few days, I will once again be listing toys in my Etsy shop, and maybe ArtFire as well. There will be the old standbys, but also some new things. And just in time to ship for Easter! There will also be some fun going on here at the blog, so you may want to keep an eye here too.

I figured you were wondering about the basket of arms and legs. ;)

storm

A storm rolled through last night. I suppose it was the first thunderstorm of the season. The sound of the thunder almost seemed awkward; as if during the long, cold winter the air had forgotten how to make the sound of thunder. It's probably just that it sounds different with the leaves off the trees.

Sometimes when thunderstorms pass by, I think of when my girls were very small and scared of the lightning and thunder.

My first, always so serious and cautious, was petrified of storms. I told her that the sound of the thunder was just those BIIIIGGG, clumsy clouds bumping together, and acted out a funny big clumsy cloud to illustrate. She was never so scared after that, but sometimes would laugh about the "big clumsy clouds."

My second, so alike and so different from the first, is not afraid of much. But storms still make her afraid. I tried the "big clumsy cloud" act with her. Didn't work.

Oh well. I guess sometimes I feel so brilliant, I need to be taken down a notch. ;)

how much does it cost?

An arm and a leg? No problem!

HA! I crack myself up.

chemo caps

A couple of weeks ago, Megan of Late Night Design asked where I donate the chemo caps I make. It made me realize I've never covered that here, so I thought I would.

My mother-in-law works with an organization called Look Good Feel Better. They work with cancer patients, helping them cope with the special challenges of treatment. They do makeovers, teach them how to wear wigs, hats, scarves, how to deal with skin changes and hair loss, and I'm sure lots of other things. It is a fine organization, and I am happy to make hats for them to give to the women they serve. You may check the program finder on their website to see if there's one near you that may need hats or other items.

Also, on the Head Huggers website, there are many patterns as well as instructions for submitting hats.

Cancer and its various treatments are painful enough; it adds insult to injury when cancer patients have a cold head from hair loss. Hats are quick enough to knit, crochet or sew that I think each and every cancer patient should have a handmade hat. And from good yarn too, not that scratchy stuff. And that's all I have to say about that. :)

And back to Megan - be sure to check out her Etsy shop, too!

the game is afoot...

...again! Yes, our Hide and Seek game had a few wrinkles to iron out, but it is on once again. Please visit OrganicMamas blog to read the rules, directions, featured shops and clues, and join the fun!

A bit of fun, and prizes too!

Our little game is on hold until we can work out a few wrinkles - sorry! I'll let you know when it's on again. Thank you for understanding!

The wonderful and awesome SHEteam (Schooling at Home Etsian) has a February promotion, led by the lovely OrganicMamas! There is a cash prize, as well as an assortment of items from participating shops. For more details, watch her shop and her blog. To find participating shops, search Etsy for "hidenseekEtsy."